Bloody Mary
by DamReader
Summary: Summary Change: Rose goes back to the academy after staking Dimitri on the bridge. She never gets a note from him so she keeps on living her life. Events take a turn, how will Rose handle it? Depression, new found love, war. First 2 chapters are slowish.
1. Prologue

Summary

Rose has just returned with a heavy heart from Russia after staking Dimitri on the bridge (she never gets contacted by him) she has returned to her schooling. With Dimitri gone her life is gone, walking through life without living is tough; but she's going to have to get over it. With no care in the world if she lives or dies she plays out some radical choices. Action, adventure, supernatural, mega love story in future chapters; I can truly say that there is no other story remotely close to mine, especially after I get the story set up.

Prologue

Upon first glance I notice four distinct things:

One: The guy I'm looking at or more so gawking at is in a fighting stance, holding a stake, and there's a Strigoi body lying at his feet.

Two: He's in the middle of the Academy's forest just barely inside the wards.

Three: He is drowsed in muscle, tan skin, and black attire.

Four: He's looking at me.

Two main quotes this story will be modeled after:

"I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees."

"It's only in absolute darkness which we can see true light."


	2. Chapter One

**Rose just staked Dimitri on the bridge and never heard from him again, she has restarted her schooling. I swear they will never be this short again, after this chapter they will always be much longer.**

"No!" I screeched making every one look over at me like I was some crazy person who just got released to early from a mad house, "Just leave me alone!" I turn in the opposite direction and run as fast as my short little legs will carry me.

I run and run, running around the forested area of St V's academy. Abruptly stopping I half fall half lean upon a tree behind me. "Good Lord!" I shout out exasperated while punching a nearby tree out of fury. I am so tired of all the drama, of all the dating, and all the love. Yes, now I'm sure I sound like a crazy loon. I mean who hates love other than me and the Grinch? I just got back from Russia; I just got back from tracking down the man who completed me just to finish killing him for he was all ready half dead. I just needed to be me for a while, maybe for the rest of my life. I don't need to be defined by someone else; I don't need someone else to understand me because they always just end up dyeing anyways.

I just need to be me, but it's really damn hard at the moment considering how every guy looks at me. I mean I know I bring it upon myself, I'm a good looking Dhampir and half the people around this school thinks I became some rouge, indomitable, badass Strigoi killer while I was gone. But beyond the random guys staring at me I had the not-so random and not-so conspicuous suggestions from Adrian. I know I did promise to give him a try after I got back from my 'adventure' but how could he seriously think I really meant it!

Letting my head pound into the ground as I fall over onto my knees I just kneel their doubled over for who knows how long. I don't want to think, I can't think. I sir press all the thoughts of any and all male beings and everything along with it. I know I still have Lissa and I'm sure that by now I sound like some whinny, petty teenage girl who just wants to scream that no one understands me. But that's just the problem, the only person who really did understand me just danced with the devil, and lost.

Out of pure furry and an over drive of emotions I slam my hand down into the earth, which is simultaneously followed by a loud crack as I painfully crack my knuckles. I started laughing. I had nothing else to do. I roll over, now on my back lying in the middle of the academy's forest and still chuckling with my thoughts. All though I'm far from an optimist I couldn't help but find it comical that at least now giving up my life to be the best guardian possible wouldn't be too hard, because honestly what do I have left to give up? I don't have a family, my soul mate died, my chance for a future family died, my want for something different is now careless, so all I have is my career and my friendship with Lissa. Instinctively one hand grabs at my stomach and one hand reaches towards my boot where a stake is readily concealed. After all the incidents of people I care for being taken I now always carry a stake on me with no exceptions.

I don't pull out the stake because I am fully aware that I hear movement close by and I don't want to be caught with a stake I'm not supposed to have if it's a guardian moving by me. Taking a few hesitant steps forward I just barely avoided walking into a clearing in the forest where there were about four Strigoi and a, ah, well someone who wasn't Strigoi. I knew it was crazy, I mean seriously four Strigoi, me, and someone who I have no clue if he's cable of helping. But me being me I jump through the last few trees, gracefully lank the stake out of my boot and slam it into the chest of the one closest to me while taking advantage of the fact he had no freaking clue I was coming. I turn to the next one and together we started circling each other. He is about 6'6; triple my weight, with a small dagger that seems so scrawny and fragile while in the hand of this rugged, mighty monster. He lunges at me and I easily duck while using his ungainly weight to my advantage making him fall over, "You realize we're not on even ground right? I mean sure you're a bulky, ugly, lethal killer; but I'm a women. So putting this in the most womanly way…" I pause taunting him and tap my chin pretending to be puzzled. "Oh screw it; I'm just goanna say it. I'm going to kick your ass."

He looks at me like this is the first time the person he's fighting has had a conversation with him, well obviously he hasn't been in many interesting fights. He's so stupid; he is so concerned about trying to come up with some snappy comeback that it gives me the perfect opportunity. Faking to stake him from the left he goes to block and I go the other way knocking out his left knee causing him to fall on to his back while I straddle him. "You've been served." I smirk and toss back as I plunge the stake down in under his rips and into his heart. He must have really been young because that was just too easy. Suddenly I realized that I killed two but there should be two more I stand up and get ready to attack again looking around for the other two but there both already dead. And that's when I really saw the other guy. Upon first glance I notice four distinct things:

Upon first glance I noticed four distinct things:

One: The guy I'm looking at or more so gawking at is in a fighting stance, holding a stake, and there's a Strigoi body lying at his feet.

Two: He's in the middle of the Academy's forest just barely inside the wards.

Three: He is drowsed in muscle, tan skin, and black attire.

Four: He's looking at me.

_**Awesome? Terrible? I hope you enjoyed it thanks for reading, and please keep reading. Don't forget to review! I'm a new writer, if you could even call me one, and so I love criticism. Thanks!**__** Poll: Should Rose fall in love with the new guy, become enemies, or become partners in crime?**_


	3. Chapter Two

**Thanks Autumn, Kiki 1975, and Celia for reviewing. Obviously this chapters a lot longer, feel free to review critics, I honestly hate the saying "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all." I would way rather you review and tear it up than not say anything. Enjoy.**

**Sorry about the mistakes! I uploaded it in a hurry. I'm going to try harder to make my story more grammatically correct in the future.**

I'm still staring at him roughly four minutes later, the air between us like static; two hunters caught in a game. "Who are you?" I question still holding his gaze. He is quickly taken a back at the strength and sureness of my voice, but then his face smoothes over into amusement.

"Riley." He replies instantly, not even questioning whether or not he should be telling me this.

"So Riley, who are you? I mean you're a Dhampir right? I've never seen you around the academy so why are you here?"

First he just points at the Strigoi bodies, them he shrugs. "Yea, I'm a Dhampir and no I'm the same age as you I just look older." He smirked. "I was brought up in a commune and trained myself until a couple of months ago when I got tired of only training."

"You got tired of training?"

"Well, you see, I always wanted to come to a school like this, train with friends, get grades, have teachers and mentors. Have someone to tell me what to do and not just myself all day. But I don't want to be a guardian. I never saw the point in guarding one Moroi; I never saw the point in waiting around to be attacked. But a couple of months ago I got tired of training so I decided if I was ever going to help fight in the war against the Strigoi I should start now." Seeing my puzzled look he rushed on with his story.

"I got word that Strigoi are evolving at a scarily fast pace; their adapting to their situation and breeding hybrids that don't have their same restrictions. Some of them are now able to cross over wards, walk in limited light. So I came here. When the suns down there are too many people to just walk into the academy so I don't have to worry about the daytime. However when the suns down the guardians get sloppy, they don't think it's possible for Strigoi to stand any amount of the sun; most people are asleep, and the campus is wide open for their pleasure. So I come out and patrol, I walk the borders of the academy and kill any Strigoi that gets in my path. I have this weird nausea feeling when there's one around so I'm able to keep the grounds pretty safe."

I just stood there shocked, for weeks Strigoi have been getting into the grounds and only one guy was tracking them down and killing them. Holly. Shit. "Rose!" I was quickly pulled out of my moment of amazement when I heard Lissa calling me through the bound. "I know you where upset earlier, where are you?" She shouted again.

"Umm, sorry I have to go." I explained to Riley. The next words that came out of my mouth shocked me but I knew I could trust him and I need someone to talk to. "I'm bounded and their calling me, but I really want to talk to you. Are you indenting on stay here long?"

"Tomorrow night at sunrise, by the lake."

"I'll be there." I couldn't help the smile that was plastered one my face. But then a sudden thought came to my mind. "What are you going to do with the bodies?"

"Oh, well I found this old place no one uses any more I've been burring the bodies behind it. I can't burn them in this dense forest for I don't want to set the whole forest on fire." He laughed, "That would sort of give me away."

I snickered turning away, "Probably." Running back in the direction of the academy I zipped around trees and leapt over roots until I went into view of the first building, I slowed down making it seem like I just went on a walk. I felt through the bound and felt Lissa waiting in the cafeteria with everyone else.

"There she is!" A very pissed of Lissa exclaimed. "Where were you?"

I realized that I had just ran through around a forest as fast as I could, fought two Strigoi, and ran back so I knew the lie 'just wondering around' wouldn't work. "Ahh, yea your right I was upset so I toke a run through the woods."

"… and you were attacked by a tree?" Christen asked laughing pointing at a rip in my jeans. Opps, while I was staking the Strigoi the dagger he had must have ripped my pants.

"I fell and snagged them across the ground," I shoot back defensively. Trying to change the subject I quickly turn to Eddie and ask him about a school project he is working on. While he was rambling on and on about that I let my mind drift to Riley. When Eddied was done I just nodded like I had been listening and I excused myself to go back to my room. I'm still pumped up with adrenalin after fighting those Strigoi, or maybe it was meeting Riley, and so I decide to leave my room after quickly changing into some athletic pants and a black tank top to go and work out. I am just lifting some weights when another novice walks in. I can't come up with a name but I recognize her.

"Ohm, ah sorry I didn't figure any one would be in here." She said rather abashed. "Oh, well I should have known you'd be in here." Her voice shifted from surprise to innocents to mockery in an annoying Barbie gone wild way.

"Sorry I should know your name but I can't think of it…"

"I'm surprised considering there's very few female novices, but I'm Katherine." She looked at me like I was extremely slow. I'm not so sure if I like her so much.

"Why did you say that you should have known I would be in here?" I asked putting weight on the I.

"Well you are Rose Hathaway." She stated but continued when she saw my face.

"Thanks for telling me that, I never would have guessed." I blurt sarcastically. "So what?"

"You know, you have a hot head and get pissed a lot and when you get pissed you kick the crap out of stuff, and since there's nothing around to hit, without getting in trouble, you train. Plus you have that whole tuff ass angle you go for and so you come here a lot."

"How the hell did you get that assumption!"

"Everybody says it," She states with a shrug.

"So I'm getting a hint that you don't agree with any of it?" I questioned her Unsure of weather I was happy or pissed off that she didn't follow the lie that I was some uncontrollable badass.

She laughed, yea I was pissed. "Well everyone else said you went on a rouge trip to Russia to kill a bunch of Strigoi and let out your anger after the fight, but I just figure you're some runaway sissy who ran away to be a little baby. And that you came back but every time you're in here by yourself 'training' you're actually crying that you can't even kick a flies ass."

This time it was my time to laugh, "Ok, let's test that theory!" I glare at her. "Fighting match right here, right now."

"As fun as that would be I actually have a life and I have a date waiting for me I just came in here to get something I forgot."

"Oh…. You're scared." I taunted back.

"Tomorrow night, two hours after curfew." I briefly thought of Riley but he had said to meet at sunrise and this fight was a real good opportunity to kick this chicks ass and get a bit of my rep back, and you know what old people say about opportunities.

"See ya there," Storming out of the gym I mentally laughing about what her face might look if she saw how heavy the bell bar I was lifting was. When I got back I just took a shower and went to bed.

The next day I wake up to an extremely annoying beeping that I soon realized is my alarm. I throw it across the room, but immediately perked up at the thought of seeing Riley tonight, and then perk up even more over the fight tonight. Throwing on a pair of tight jeans and a fitted T-shirt I walk over to the cafeteria.

"Damn!" I swore to myself. I figured that tonight Katherine would just show up, we'd fight, and I'd win but as I walked to the cafeteria I saw loads of other novices pointing at me and then to their surprised buddies face who they were telling it to they would point at me to reassure they really meant me. I knew that gossip spread faster than the black plague around here but damn. I'd only challenged her last night and it had been almost curfew, now this morning it seems as though every novice either knew or was being told.

I walked over to the counter and grabbed two bagels and a bowl of Captain Crunch before walking over to my table where Lissa, Christian, Adrian, and Mia are already seating. Sitting down and glancing at them, I'm excepting Lissa to start lecturing me that I could get caught or Christian to start making fun of me, but my expectations were met with silence. They have no clue, and that's when I noticed. It seemed that the Mori had no clue, they all noticed the novices whispering excitedly about something but they were really confused and clueless about what it was. It seemed the novices were doing everything they could to not let the Mori know, they probably figured one of them would tell or else they would want to come as well and having the entire school out at night would be a dead giveaway that students were out of bed.

"What do you think it is?" Lissa asked a Christian who was laughing so hard he was doubled over in pain at the theory Lissa just gave.

"I don't know but I don't think the novices are planning a prank on the Mori, they're smarter than that. We control elements, we would prank back way better and they know it." Christian managed to spit out between laughs.

"Well, what else could it be?" Lissa sighed exasperated. Lissa seemed to just realize I sat down for she spun around to look at me, "So…. What is it?"

I had gotten good at controlling my face and faking emotions like most adult guardians can do so I put on my most innocent face and say, "No idea, I just woke up," I take a bite out of my bagel and try to make it seem like no big deal so she would just drop it. Christian and Adrian continued on trying to convince Lissa that they weren't getting pranked for ten minutes. Man, they won't' let this drop!

Eddie sheepishly walked up and sat down. Lissa instantly jumped him with questions asking if he knows what they're saying, or who it's about. "Um… no idea." Replied Eddie while glancing at me with the tiniest of smiles so that only I would see. I knew he was holding back hysteria of laughter but was not saying anything in front of the others for me, I don't see what the big deal is. Fights here are rare but they happen, yet again to the students it's princess bitch VS rouge bent-up-anger girl.

"Well go find out!" She orders giving him a little nudge.

"Na, it's probably just some dumb fight that's going to happen."

"They don't cause this much drama!" Lissa pushed.

"Actually there hasn't been a planned full out fight for like three years. Most of the time it's just a single push from a egotistical guy, or a jealous girl over a guy…. Unless you're Rose and then you just lose your temper and punch them." Christian laughed.

"Hey, I haven't hurt a non-Strigoi in a really long time so shut it!" I said defensively. While Eddie was shooting me a look saying 'until tonight' which makes me mentally laugh.

Heading off to our classes the day went by extremely slow, although I'm certain that every Dhampir under 18 now knows about the fight. I knew that I would win but I couldn't even think about what would happen if I lost…. Shit.

After classes ended I hung out with a still confused Lissa, but left her earlier than I usually do to get ready to see Riley. I showered and just started at my closet. Thinking about the situation and trying to decide what to wear. So he was a mystery guy who grew up in a small village, trained himself, traveled around killing Strigoi, came here after finding out from a unknown source that a few Strigoi can walk over wards, and now kills any that come through; ya, I dear you to say that's not god damn sexy.

If things got late with him I had to be able to go straight to the gym, but I wanted to be comfortable and unconcern about tonight. After a lot of concentration I went with simple black work out pants that were loosely tight so that they showed off the muscles put where very modest and comfortable. I wore a new, fitting, black tank top giving me a look half between G.I. Joe, and Fast and Furious. Hot, while fighting.

Glancing at the clock I ran out and ran to the pound. I really hoped that Riley would be there and that he didn't stand me up or that he's not just some figment of my imagination. But nope, as I ran up to the pound I saw him standing there as I got that same safe, warm, and yet electric feeling I get while around him. "Um, hi." He said.

"Hi," I walked up and stood beside him while looking out over the lake.

"I thought you won't come." He turned towards me. "You have no idea how boring it is to seat around in a small cabin all day.

"Small cabin?" I questioned while I felt my stomach drop at 90 miles an hour.

"Yea it's abandon so I crash there." He said pointing out in the forest. Luckily it wasn't the one I knew was right next to the lake where Dimitri and I…. well it was a different one if it's really in the direction he pointed.

"So…" I had so many questions but I didn't want to bombard him and scare him off.

He instantly got the hint and smiled, "You want to patrol the ground with me?"

"Sure."

"Ah, just in case we run into a Strigoi do you still have a stake on you?"

"Yea… after, ah" I started thinking I should explain why a girl living inside wards would be carrying a stake.

"You don't need to explain, um, yea." I wondered what he was going to say while he trailed off.

"Oh! I'm sorry I forgot! I'm Rose, Rose Hathaway." I said apologetically. I waited for him to talk excepting him to look shocked or start rambling about The Rose Hathaway, but he didn't.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked curiously.

"Of course I do, who doesn't." He laughed.

"How come you're not running away, or insulting me, or asking me a million questions of where I went or what I did? Or how I'm doing?" I questioned.

"Well, I figured that you'd tell me if you'd wanted to." He replied sheepishly like he was sorry.

I just stared at him. Suddenly it was like I lost control of my body I flung my arms around him and squeezed him tight. He just stood there grant still. "Sorry," I apologize stepping back. "It's just that you're the first person who doesn't feel the need to know every detail about stuff that's not there business. I mean it seems like every one is always on me trying to see if they can be the first one to squeeze an answer out of me. Or they know me and are too scared to talk to me. Or they know me and their insistently insulting me."

"Haha, I can imagine you are a very intriguing person." He smiled. "So here's the deal, no questions. Tonight I won't ask you a single personal question and we can just talk about other stuff."

"Haha, I don't think I've had a conversation about anything other than guarding, school, my past, or Lissa in a really, really long time so I might not be very good at it. But I would love to do it." I smiled.

"Ok then let's see…." He trailed off thinking.

"Strigoi," I whispered while I got a feeling of sickness in my stomach. It was there but not very strong, "Twoish." I told him while reaching to pull my stake out of my boot. He already had his in hand and I just had straightened into a fighting stance when I caught sight of the first one, I instinctually went out to punch him in the face but he instinctually blocked. I was caught off guard when he actually had the logic to twist my hand around and grab my forearm instead of just simply blocking it; well he wasn't wasting any time. He twisted and pulled my arm down forcing me to bend over he pushed by back against the tree he thought he put me in a position that I couldn't get out of but I just pushed against the tree as hard as I could while bending more so I would just roll, I rolled right into him like a bowling ball landing both of us on the ground, out of surprise at what I had done he tried to blindly grab at me to now success.

We both jumped up and in no time where where attacking again like to bulls. Ramming into each other, missed blows, and several swips from my stake later I finally had him against a tree with my stake sticking out of his chest.

When I stood up I saw Riley just staking the other Strigoi in the heart against a tree as well. Pulling out his stake he let the body fall to the floor. He turned to me, "So, gummy bears."

"Huh?" I asked cleaning the blood off my stake with a leaf and putting it back in my boot.

"Do you like sour gummy bears, chocolate coated gummy bears, or the original gummy bears?"

Smiling I pointed at the bodies, "Where do these go?"

"Can you drag him?" He asked. Testily I grabbed the Strigoi's hand and gave a tug.

"Yea," I stated in a questioning voice.

"Fellow" he simplified grabbing his Strigoi by the feet. "Ohh, and you might want to grab him by his feet if your drag him by the arm it will pop out of place and depending on how far out we are it might rip off. It makes really nasty sounds and the blood goes everywhere, plus then you have two things to hold."

Taking his advice I notice him still starting at me, "What?"

"I'm waiting on your answer"

"You're serious!" I laughed.

"Serious as ever. I'm a chocolate covered gummy bear fan myself." He but in his opinion.

"Haha, I guess I like the original ones." I put in, "I guess I just like the simplicity, but I can't really judge I've never had a sour or chocolate cover gummy bear."

He looked at me like I was crazy, "What!"

"I like how you look at me like I'm the crazy one! You're the one who's Mr. Dark and Mysterious, the one who kills Strigoi like it's a pass time, and who has creepy informants." I joke back.

"You got me there, but I mean come one. So do you like cherry or strawberry twizzlers better?"

I just smile again and shack my head shrugging, "I grew up here at the academy, not a lot of candy. I don't know what either are." I said shrugging again.

He looked at me like I was a nuttier. "So you don't judge me with all my dark and twisted past, but your applied that I've never had a twistler!" I laughed.

"Ok, so did you like Avatar or The Golden Compass better?" He continued on.

"Scene neither."

Now he was just testing me in exasperation, "The Killers,"

I shake my head.

"Losers,"

I shake my head.

"Date Night,"

I shake my head.

"Crazies,"

I shake my head.

"Step Up,"

I shake my head.

"Ok last one and if you say you've never seen it I think I might have to throw up on you or something, Never Back Down?" He said hastily.

I shake my head and pretended to step away from him while still dragging the body to wherever we were heading. He just looked at me like I needed help. We held up out amusing conversations while walking. When we got there he explained that he just buried them here. As he started digging I had a question I wanted to ask but wanted to talk about other stuff. "So, you come out here every night, but are their actually that many Strigoi that they come every night?"

"No, you just caught me on back to back nights." He was done know and he playfully punched me in the shoulder, "You just got lucky."

I laughed and helped him push the bodies into the holes and recover it. Shit. I forgot about the fight, I have to leave. "Umm… curfew I have to go. I had a lot of fun though."

He smiles and seeing him do so warms me up inside. "Would I be too pushy, annoying, and stalkish if I came back tomorrow?" I asked slowly.

"The more the merrier. Believe it or not it's really lonely when no one knows you even exist except for one person on the entire planet." I smiled feeling sympatric. Knowing I had to hurry I ran half way there but stopped and walked the rest of the way. I slipped into the gym. When I slid into the doors I was instantly taken aback by all the people crammed onto the bleachers and then the over flow that was packed together standing on the floor. It seemed that somehow every novice had managed to sneak out past the martens who were supposed to be making sure we stay in our rooms. Every inch of the gym was filled with excited novices, I push through the crowd at first but when they realize it's was me they make a path to the two mats pushed together in the center of the room where Katherine is standing taping her hands. I walked to the opposite side of the mat that she was on and started taping my hands.

"Rules," She asked eyeing me.

"No eye gouging," I said.

She laughed, "and.."

"That's it we fight until the other taps out."

"Taps out?" She questions.

"Seriously? You've never been in a knock out or tap out fight?" I spat.

"Well, not everyone is a tomboy." She shot back and everyone cheered.

"Knock out or Tap out. Three taps, the fight ends and the other person wins, or knock out If your unable to get up." I explain slowly. "Ready, girl scot? Do you even know who to throw a punch or where you just going to throw double mint cookies in my face?"

Well that pissed her off. She goes lunging for my head so I lazily duck down, grab her legs and through her over my should, leading of flat of her back. I walk over and kick her in the side before she gets up. I don't want the fight to be over yet so backing up a couple of steps I let her get up. She stands up hunched over her side and charges again, the really funny part is when I simply step out of her way and she charges herself right into the ground not being able to stop. Everybody was really laughing now, everyone except Katherine. She stands up again. "It's called patients learn it!" I laughed.

She just started circling me, I sighed and I decided to make my move. While she was assessing how to get to me I grab her leg and pull it out from under her, kneeling over I punch her in the face and straddle her while I punch her again. "You know I can do this all night." I threaten dragging out the all.

She jerks and hits the matt three times, standing up I hold out my hand to help her up. She spit in it and ran out of the gym. Suddenly it became a challenge, two guys step out of the crowed at the same time, one took another step forward. "I'm Jake." He declared.

I turned to the other one who stepped up with him "and you are…"

"Mike."

"I can take you," Jake nodded, "Me too, Katherine's just stupid." Added Mike.

"Bring it boys," I gesture for them to come.

"Together?" They both said at the same time.

"Well you just seem like to quiet of a couple to break up." I smiled as the entire coward started laughing again and both Jake's and Mike's face turned bright red as their temper flairs. Mike leaps forward and I easily grab his arm as he was going to punch me, I twisted his arm forcing him to spin like a ballerina, and everyone laughed again. Jake came forward and ran up to me kicking me leg trying to make it go out, inside I turned so he just kicked the front of my legs which hurt but didn't make me fall, I punch him in the gut and he bends over. Sticking my arm out like a bar I used my other arm to flip him over it like an acrobatic. Both guys where now laying on the ground groaning, one tries to get up but his next weak attempt is to try and trip me. "Did you seriously just try to trip me?" I laughed, "Wow. What a girl move." I kick one more guy's ass before no one else wants to try. Which might have just been because on the last guy a hit him a little too hard on accident and I cut his lip spraying blood everywhere, but honestly it looked worse than it actually is. The crowed starts to disband, only a couple at a time so that they could sneak in without being caught.

Even though I dealt out a lot of black eyes, bruises, and one cut lip I knew no one would tell because they would be in just as much trouble as me. Going straight to bed I slept better than I had in a long time.

**Want more action? More of a love story? More or less drama? Let me know. **


	4. Chapter Three

**Thanks for the reviews. Hope for more in the future.**

**Disclamer: I don't own characters, setting, ect.**

I rolled out of bed jumped in the shower and walked over to the Cafeteria just like I did yesterday except this time instead of kids whispering to other people about me they are actually talking to me. Huh, I guess I got my repetition back I couldn't help not smile at that. I walked straight over to the table Lissa was sitting at with Adrian and sat down. Christian and Eddie walked up then as well. Christian was trying to get an answer out of Eddie about why all the novices are all so excited and happy today.

Eddie sat down and looked at me. "How come all of you are trying to get me to answer and not her?" He said pointing at me.

"First of all she's harder to crack, and second of all she doesn't know any other Novices, she's a social outcast who isn't told anything." Christian said like it was an obvious thing. "Plus she just got back."

"Hey I've been making lots of friends!" I snapped it really hurt to hear that for some reason.

"Yea, she has!" Eddie said laughing at me, "A lot of enemies too."

"What? What are you talking about?" Lissa questioned inquisitively.

"It's nothing." I insured. In need of a subject change I turn towards Lissa, "Hey, sorry but I won't be able to hang out with you after classes I have to go somewhere. Sorry." I added again as she started giving me the 'I'm pissed off look' I know she's been feeling attention deprived but I really, really want to see Riley, it's really nice to just get away and escape the drama of my own world every now and then.

"Fine… but…." She giggled.

"What…"

"I convinced Kirova to let a couple of us go to the mall to find dresses for the end of the year dance coming up. It's the last dance before we head out to the really world. I'll let you off the hook for tonight without getting mad, if I get to dress you and get you ready for the dance!" She giggled again.

I knew that I was submitting to my personal hell but I accepted just because I wanted to see Riley so much and I knew that Lissa would most likely get to do it anyway. Walking through the rest of my classes like a zombie I just manage to get through my morning classes. Walking over to the cafeteria for lunch I arrive to find everyone at our old lunch table.

"Hey guys."

"What's up?" Eddie asks.

"Not much, it seems like every class has gotten longer and even more dull than before I left."

"Welcome back," chuckles Eddie.

Not really hungry I sit down and pick a French fry off Christian's tray. Hitting my way away he tries to grab his fry back but it's in my mouth before he can grab it. Smiling I swallow and laugh.

Katherine walks up behind Lissa and looks at me, "What are you to good to get your own tray now? To good for lunch lines?"

The smile fades from my face as I cock my head sideways and retort, "Oh, to good for hair salons? Is that your excuse for the mess on your head?"

"You're only saying that because the only man around here that you could ever get with was a thirty year old loner, now that he's finally done us all a favor and kicked the bucket I reckon theirs no one else around here that can stand you enough to be with you."

I thought that she was just the normal school bitch, the ones that only really say mean stuff to you because they have no life. The ones that say stupid slightly hurtful stuff but nothing extremely under the belt, apparently that was not one of these girls. She hit way, way under the belt. The insult to me was nothing, but what she had said about Dimitri…. that's unexpectable.

Kicking my chair out from under me I stand up and march around the table. Before she can lift a nail to defend herself I grab her hair and pull her against the wall one table away. Bring my knee up to her stomach she bends over shoving my hand into her shoulder I straighten her back against the wall, pulling my hand back I smash it into her face. Punching her face again blood starts to trickle down her pale skin. Driven by anger I grab her hair again and throw her to the floor, I swiftly kick her in the stomach and she hunches over. Smashing my foot into her again she mummers, "Stop." In responds I get down on top of her and push her out flat repeatedly punching her again. There was nothing stopping me, but then all at ones there where two men lifting me by my arms. Two more men examined Katherine, I slipped out of the man's grip on my left and drove my elbow into the man on my right. Lunging again in one last attempt at Katherine a different guardian's arms wrapped around me from the back and the original to grabbed my arms again. Pushing me against the wall they forced me down to my knees and I heard a ruffle of metal. The guardian's on the side of me never let go but the one that grabbed me around the middle released me to put two cold pieces of circular metal around my wrist behind my back. My eyes traveled to the floor as they lifted me up to my feet and marched me out of the cafeteria.

We ended up in Kirova's office. An hour later I leave with detentions after classes every day until Mrs. Kirova is satisfied and a not-so-polite warning that if I laid another hand on a student I would be out of this school before I was done beating them up. Technically I have three more classes but instead of going to them I head to my room. When I get go inside I find Lissa waiting. The tension in the room starts as soon as I walk in but I try to break it, "Playing hooky to?"

"After Kirova was so nice by letting you come back this is how you show her how grateful you are? Did you even see how bad Katherine was? She was unconscious; they had to take her to the clinic."

"You heard what she said; I wasn't and will never let anyone talk bad about Dimitri."

"God Rose!" Lissa stood up from the bed and faced me, "Get an ego check!" She yelled.

"I realize that I lost control a little bit too much, but can't you just understand a little more? Or at least pretend to? I thought we were supposed to be sisters; sisters support each other no matter what they think."

"Why should I? You don't get to do whatever you want! You are supposed to be a guardian! I thought you learned control, are you going to go crazy every time someone meanchins Dimitri's name? Because if so than maybe I need a more stable guardian!" She shouted.

Before I was beyond pissed off, but all my anger turned to painful rejection and disbelief. "Are you saying that I'm not good enough for you?"

With no hesitation Lissa marched past me and stopped just at the door, "Yes! Nobody wants to be around a mobbing lunatic." She slams the door and I fall to the floor.

Katherine's words didn't bother me because I knew that they weren't true, but Lissa throwing this in my face only made the words true. My hands covered my face as dry sobs came bursting out of me, I can't handle it. None of it, Dimitri's gone, Lissa's gone, everyone's gone; I have no one.

Pushing my back against the wall I stand up walking over to the bathroom sink. Picking up my scissors that I use to use to trim my bangs I slide the silver metal across my arm. Deep red lines of liquid push up through the cut in my arm and the pain feels like a relief. Drawling another line the pain of Lissa's words barely have any more effect on me, all my mind can comprehend is the throbbing pain in my arm as once again I drag the scissors deeply across my arm. The blood loss makes me feel dizzy and faint; eventually my body crumples and lies there drifting off with no one to save me because ultimately I'm alone.

Rileys prov (he's thinking this to himself)

I know that she is coming here right after her classes, and I know I have to tell her what I am but how can I? All you have to do is really look at her. Not with pity, not out of curiosity but just truly look at her to notice that she acts happy, but if you really watch her the littlest things will make her extremely sad. It's almost hard to see because she just covers it well and changes the topic instantly but it's there. I want to cheer her up; I want to take away her pain. I know it's just sympathie and I know that I have this weird need to protect her but I also know I also have to tell her the truth.

If someone's in pain do you bring them more pain knowing that it will be littler pain, or do you try to put it off knowing that the problem is just going to grow? Because the worse thing is that she has no clue any of this is coming.

Situational Quote

Ignores is bliss until the ignored catches up with you, then it's like an anvil being dropped on your head, the more longer ignored the bigger the anvil.

Rose's Prov

My eyes peel back only to seek blinding light. Getting up on my knees I push myself up into a standing position. Everything spins and my legs feel to weak to hold me up. Stumbling over to my bed I pick up a third of the way drank orange juice and jug it. Feeling a trickle on my skin I realize what I did and realize that although the blood stopped pouring out it hasn't completely stopped. Making my way back to the bathroom I almost slip in the huge blood stain on the floor, carefully crossing to the other side of the bathroom I pull out my first aid kit and I start applying gaze to my cuts. Taping them up tightly I cross back to my bedroom and sit down on my bed with my hands in my face. Wimpy tears start to tread down my checks, little trails of fire. Riley. Wiping away my tears I finally get a pleasurable emotion, excitement pumps through me and I strip off all my blood covered clothes to jump in the shower. Holding my taped up arm out of the water I clean the blood off the rest of my skin and turn off the water. Tying my hair up in a ponytail I toss on a fresh pair of dark jeans. My hand was half way reaching for a short sleeved shirt when my hand froze. Moving over to a different side of my clothes I pick a long sleeved black shirt. Heading out I can't help a smile of anticipation.

I know Strigoi won't come out for awhile so I didn't know what we are going to do but I don't really care, I just can't wait to be with him. It's like he makes the darkness go away. Or maybe not go away but he takes me out of reality and gives me a place where I can just be me and not Guardian Hathaway. Glancing down I notice that I completely forgot to put on shoes. I'm such a dumbass sometimes, I got so excited I just left without checking that I had everything, I guess if I go patrolling with Riley I'll just steal a pair of his shoes.

I walk up to the cabin that he's been staying in and knock a couple of times on the door. After the second knock I see Riley standing there with the biggest smile I've ever seen him have, but I guess I've only known him for 2 days. "What?" I asked self consciously.

"What, what?" He double asked me laughing.

"Why are you smiling so stupidly?" I asked playfully punching him in the arm. Instead of answering he simply pulled the door open further and gestured for me to come in. I walked in the door but was instantly taken aback at what I saw. The room had a mini kitchen area with a belt in bar area, a bed, a dresser, a TV, and a couch. But that was just the basics that had all ready been in here. You could tell because all lot of it was still covered in dust, except places where he had been. But along with one back pack that was over flowing with clothes, he had the entire surface of the bar covered in candy. And sitting on top of the TV was a DVD case, I could tell the title easily because he had propped it up on display showing of the fact that it was Never Back Down. I started laughing.

"Hey, laugh all you want but at the end of the night you will no longer be candy deprived and you will be witness to the best movie of all time." He walked over to the bar and pulled out a stool, I sat down on it and he sat next to me. "So pick your poison." He says pointing towards the pile of candy. "You've got you gummy worms, gummy bears, chocolate covered gummy bears , sour gummy bears, peach rings, Hershey's chocolate, chocolate kisses, Twix bars, 3 musters, paydays, think of a candy and I'll have it." He smiles and I decide to test him…

Running down a list of all the candies I've ever heard of or seen he had them all. Until I got to one I knew he wouldn't have because I knew for a fact that the where a special Halloween Addison flavor, "special dark midnight Twix," I smirk with confidence. He laughs, shifts some stuff out of the way, and pulls a bunch out.

"They're my favorite, I had to buy a lot of them, and he shrugged.

"They're my favorite too," I laughed. "Lissa, my best friend, bought me like five bags of them for Halloween when we weren't at the academy and I ate so many so fast I threw up the entire next day." I laugh nostalgically.

"You weren't always at the academy?" He raises an eyebrow opening a bag of m and m's.

Once again I didn't even hesitate before telling him, "Ya, but best friend is a spirt user, since she's one of the first some really strange things happen but we have no idea how to control them. We thought that she was in danger so we ran away for two years. We ended up being brought back though." Something inside of me wanted to keep talking, something inside of me wants Riley to know every tiny thing about me, and it feels amazing to just let it all pour out. "A couple of years ago I was in a car crash with Lissa and her family; me, her brother, and her parents died. She used spirit and brought me back, but it made me shadow kissed, which means that I'm bonded to her. Basically I can see inside her…"

"I know."

"What?"

Riley is glancing between me and the ground, his eyes finally settle on a package of candy. "I know about the element of spirit, I know about shadow kissed people, and all about the bonds."

My mouth dropped to the floor, "How?"

He didn't say anything for a long moment, "I used to be bonded."

"Used to be?" He nods. "I'm sorry."

Neither of us says anything but there seems to be something he really wants to tell me, I don't push him and he doesn't say it. After a moment he gets up and puts the DVD in, smiling I put both my arms out and bare huge the pile of candy, closing my hairs like a claw machine I run over to the coffee table in front of the TV and drop the candy. Riley sees me doing so and laughs at my success.

Plobbing down on the couch I put my feet up on the table stretched out. Riley grabs the route from the remote holder and sits next to me, skipping through the advertisements he get's to the title screen.

"I don't understand why DVD's have advertisements and trailers, we paid for the DVD so why should we have to watch advertisements?"

"True that."

The movie starts and we settle into a comfortable quiet. His arms lying on the couch next to his body and I lay my arm right next to his, our bodies exchanging heat. His eyes trail down for a moment he smiles and looks back up at the screen.

When the movies ends and the credits start to roll through it's still light. "So?" Inquires Riley turning his head to look at me with a smile.

"Haha, definitely awesome."

"What didI tell you? Go ahead and say it, 'your right Riley'." He jokes animating my voice.

I lean in slightly and whisper evilly, "Never."

I had turned sideways to face him but he springs out at me pushing me back against the rest of the couch. Leaning over me he starts tickling my body, "You're right Riley." He animates my voice again.

I shriek out in laughter as I try to catch my breath. Smiling so big I start poking him and I try to tickle him back, but I'm laughing so hard I can't. "I'll never admit it."

"So how are you going to get me to stop tickling you then?" He teases.

Instead of attempting to tickle him I hold the sides of his head, pulling him down to me up I slowly put my lips to his.

He stops and freezes, definitely not what he expected. For the first two seconds our bodies are stone in shock, the next few minutes is like pop corn curdles exploding with desire, then our French kiss turns in to something on the same level of a atom bomb going off. His long tan arms rap around my waist, his face cuddles into the curve of my neck, sucking and kissing on the sensitive skin their I let out an unintended moan and rap my legs around one of his upper thighs pulling my body off the couch and up against his body. Pushing down he sandwiches my body between the velvet soft cushions and his body. The funny part is with anyone else I would have pulled them off after the first second of the kiss. I'm not ready for someone else, with Dimitri so close to my heart I would have thought I could never do this. But the desire for human contact and the need to have somebody who's just mine drives me to keep going. Dimitri would have wanted me to be happy. I want to be happy. I don't want Lissa and Katherine to be right, I want to be needed, I want to be loved.

He disconnects our lips and he slides on the side of the couch so he's next to me lying on his side. He gazes at me under dark eyelashes and his gaze is warmer than the sun. "Why did you stop?"

"We met only a few days ago, I figured you would want me to stop."

Our eyes connected and we both just looked at each other for a long moment. "You are one of the most patient, respectful, amazing, caring man I have meet. So many guys want to hook up with me to have a fun night and have that be that."

"Did you want me to be a one night thing?"

I grin widely and put a quick kiss on his lips, "Absolutely not."

The sun has yet to appear so we decide to play a game, he had a deck of cards so we decided to play poker with gummy bears, popcorn, and skittles. It was really fun but it got dark fast and he had to patrol. I knew that I should leave but I didn't want to so I went with him, plus it seemed like the entire night he wanted to say something but wasn't. I explained my shoe dilemma and laughing he pulled out an extra pair of converse he had, they were a little big but I tighten the laces so they won't fall of and I didn't complain. He insisted that I take a bunch of candy with me so he dumped his clothes in a corner and filled up the back pack with candy. He just barely was able to close the bag and he stuffed full all of the pockets laughing at my face. "I have a LOT of eating to do!" I laughed.

"Haha, I think you can do it." Carrying the bag for me and we started to walk around the school.

We walked in a comfortable silence for quite some time before he abruptly stopped and turned to me. Taking a big breath he just watched me carefully. This is going to sound crazy, because it is.

"What?"

"Would you like to go on a date with me?" His confident voice turns to nerves.

For a minute I can't say anything. "A date?"

He blushes and starts to continue walking, "Never mind, I'm just a waste of your time."

I grab his arm smiling, shaking my head from side to side I wrap my arms around him securely. "I would love to go on a date with you."

His nervous flat line face turns into a copy of mine, completely relaxed and happy. "Do you want to sneak out and ditch this place tomorrow night? The city a bit north from here has the best pizza I've tasted in my entire life, it's unbelievable."

"Sounds terrific, do you have a car somewhere?"

"Ya, I took every cent I'd saved up and put it into buying a car."

Turning back to the trail we started to patrol again, a moment later a warm and steady hand slipped into mine. Giving it a little squeeze to let him now I liked it we continued to walk the night.

**More drama at the school or more action away from school? More sad moments or happy moments? Tell me what you want and I'll give it. Please Review.**


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